Constrained socket for use with a ball-and-socket joint

(19)

(11)

EP 1 197 192 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	24.11.2004 Bulletin 2004/48

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	17.04.2002 Bulletin 2002/16

(21)	Application number: 01308672.3

(22)	Date of filing: 11.10.2001

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: A61F 2/32, A61F 2/34

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

11.10.2000 US 686550

(71)	Applicant: Zimmer Technology, Inc.
	Chicago, Illinois 60606 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Albertorio, Ricardo Warsaw, IN 46582 (US) Krebs, Robert D. Warsaw, IN 46580 (US)

(74)	Representative: Mays, Julie
	Barker Brettell, 10-12 Priests Bridge London SW15 5JE London SW15 5JE (GB)

(54)	Constrained socket for use with a ball-and-socket joint

(57) An improved constrained socket for use with an orthopedic implant for replacing a ball-and-socket joint. The constrained socket includes cuts (76) extending from the opening of the socket generally toward the articular region thereof. Petals (58) are formed between adjacent cuts in the socket. The socket further includes an annular expansion cutout (86), with the aforementioned cuts terminating therein. The socket does not include cuts on the primary articular surface, but nevertheless has a relatively low assembly force to allow assembly of the ball-and-socket joint during a surgical procedure. The relatively low assembly force of the constrained socket of the current disclosure is due in part to the annular expansion cutout which allows sufficient outward flexure of the petals to allow insertion of the ball of the ball-and-socket joint. The ball-and-socket joint of the current invention further includes a locking ring (66) with an interior annular beveled surface (52) to facilitate operable positioning of same and with an exterior visual indicator to facilitate identification of the beveled end of the locking ring. The exterior visual indicator comprises an exterior annular protrusion (54) against which axial force may be supplied for positioning the locking ring about the acetabular cup. In one exemplary embodiment, an acetabular liner incorporates the features of the current invention.

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